Body support for beds



g- 195] H. T. MAHER 2,563,124

BODY SUPPORT FOR BEDS Filed Sept. 4, 1946 lllllnu INVENTOR.

' HHROLDTMHHfR ATT ORNE Y.

the value of sleep obtained by the user.

Patented Aug. 7, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in beds. More particularly, thisinvention relates to improvements in boards or frames that areinsertable between the mattresses and the springs of beds.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide animproved board or frame that is insertable between the mattress andsprings of a bed.

In the past several years, it has become the practice and custom in themattress and bedspring industry to create a demand for extremely softbeds. This demand has been created and stimulated by publishing drawingsof attractive persons resting on the beds in comfortable positions, andby using descriptive matter that suggests comfort and rest for thepurchasers and users of the beds. Once the demand has been created, themembers of the mattress and bed industry make and supply the mattressesand beds. As a" matter of fact, however, despite the teachings of themattress and bed industry to the contrary, extremely soft beds do notimprove the sleeping of the user; instead, the soft mattresses andsprings impair the value of the sleep of the user by failing to giveadequate support to the heavier portions of the body. In particular, themattresses and springs fail to provide adequate support for the portionsof the body adjacent to the pelvic regions of the body. As a result,those portions of the body tend to sag below the level of the rest ofthe body; and this causes a bending of the spine and the creation ofstrains adjacent the shoulders and the sacrum. As a result, the usersbody does not receive the full rest and comfort from a nights sleep thatit should. This is objectionable since it detracts materially from Thepresent invention obviates this objection by providing an improvedboard, insertable between the mattress and the springs of a bed, thatwill give the required support to the portions of the body adjacent thepelvic regions. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention toprovide a board, insertable between the mattress and springs of a bed,thatprovides support for the portions of the body adjacent the pelvicregions.

The present invention does not provide a solid, unyielding board,insertable between the mattress and the springs, because such a boardwould not permit the mattress and springs to yield and provide evenlydistributed support for the shoulders and hips of the user. Instead,such a board would cause the weight of the shoulders and hips to beconcentrated on two small areas;

thus causing discomfort for the user. Moreover, such a board could notprovide adequate support for the portion of the body between theshoulders and the hips and could not keep the users trunk from sagging.Such a board would not correct the evil but would merely trade one evilfor another. The present invention, however, completely obviates theevil by providing spaced openings in a board, which is insertablebetween the mattress and springs, to permit certain relative movementbetween the trunk and the shoulders and hips. This board provides evendistribution of the weight of the body while maintaining the spine in arelatively straight position, and thus enables the user to experiencerestful and comfortable sleep.. It is, therefore, an object of thepresent invention to provide a board with spaced openings therein thatare in register with the shoulders and hips of the sleeper.

The spaced openings of the present invention are dimensioned to receivethe shoulders and hips of most persons. In some instances, the user ofthe bed may be so unusually tall or short that his shoulders and hipscannot register exactly with the spaced openings. For such instances,the present invention provides a board that in- .cludes a number ofelements of variable width and position. By changing the width andposition of the various elements, the present invention enables theboard to provide proper rest for persons of varying heights. It istherefore an object of the present invention to provide a board whichhas portions of variable width and position.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should becomeapparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanyingdescription.

In the drawing and accompanying description two preferred embodiments ofthe present inven-- tion are shown and described but it is to beunderstood that the drawing and accompanying description are for thepurposes of illustration only and do not limit the invention and thatthe invention will be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a bottom view of a board made in accordance with theprinciples of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a modified form of said board,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of removable inserts usable with the board shownin Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional end view of the board shown in Fig. 2 and itis taken along the plane indicated by the line 44 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the bone structure of aperson resting on a bed which is equipped with springs and an innerspring mattress,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the bone structure of aperson resting on a bed wherein a solid, unyielding board has beeninserted between the inner spring mattress and the bedsprings.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the bone structure of aperson resting on a two inch sponge rubber pad on top of a wooden table,and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the bone structure of aperson resting on abed wherein the board of the present invention hasbeen inserted between the inner spring mattress and the bedsprings.

The diagrammatic views of Figs. to 8 were made directly from full-sizeX-ray photographs of the same person resting in near-identical positionson the variously-described surfaces.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral ID denotes a largerectangular board of relatively unyielding material such as V plywood,heavy pressed paperboard, or solid wood. Formed in the board II] are twospaced openings I2 and I4 and these may be formed in any suitable way;but one acceptable way is by sawing them out ofthe board. Positionedwithin the openings I2 and of boardv ID are two generally rectangularinserts I6 and I8. The inserts I6and I8 should conform to theconfiguration of the openings I2 and I4 but the openings I2 and I4should be large enough to permit the inserts I6 and I8 to move freelyrelative tothe board II). The inserts I6 and I8 can be made of the samematerial used in the board I!) and in fact theinserts I6 and I8 can beformed in the sawing operation by which the openings I2 and I4 areformed. Secured to the board I0 and to the inserts I6 and I8, as bynails or glue or other means, are strips 2!! of flexible and resilientmaterial such as rubber, elastic, or resilient fabric.

Adjacent the opening [4 is a cantilever section II of board I0 that isformed by spaced slots I3 in the board IS. The cantilever section IIwill be relatively stiff because of the stifiness .of the material inthe board I0, but it will possess a definite resilience. Thus, while thecantilever section II will normally lie in the plane of the board I0, itcan be bent until its outer end is spaced from that plane.

The board I0 need not be exactly the same size as the bed with which itis used since the average person is not as large as the bed he uses; andthe cost of the board can be reduced by reducing its size. Thus, a boardthat is forty-eight (48) inches wide and seventy-two ('72) inches longhas been found to be quite suitable for use with a double bed. Moreover,the size and spacing of the openings I2 and I4 and the size of thecantilever section I I can be varied to suit the size and needs ofvarious classes of users, but one partiCular board with an overalllength of seventy-two (72) inches and an overall width of forty-eight(48) inches has been found to be very satisfactory for many persons ofvarying height. In that board the opening I2 is spaced from the righthand edge of the board a distance somewhat greater than the length ofthe users head and the opening I2 is dimensioned so it will be inregister with the shoulders of the various persons of different size whowill lie on the bed. For example, a spacing of ten (10) inches betweenthe opening l2 and the head end of the board I0,

4 and an opening I2 that is approximately thirteen (13) inches long andthirty-four (34) inches wide are very useful. Opening I4, which is toregister with the hips of persons lying on the bed, can be spaced nine(9) inches from the opening I2 and it can be dimensioned to be eight (8)inches by thirty-four (34) inches. The slots I3 that extend along thesides of cantilever section II are approximately ten (10) inches long;and the distance from the free edge of the cantilever section II to theleft hand edge of the board is approximately thirty-two (32) inches.

Where the board of these proportions and dimensions was inserted betweenthe springs and the innerspring mattress of a bed, it provided a firmsupport for the head, trunk and legs of the person lying on the bed andsimultaneously provided a yielding support for the shoulders and hips ofthe person lying on the bed. This yielding support was provided by theinserts I 6 and I8 and by the cantilever section I I. The inserts I6 andI8 were enabled to provide the support becausev they are freely movablerelative to the board I8, while the cantilever section I I is capable oflimited bending relative to the rest of the board It). The insert I6 inthe opening I2 will be in register with the shoulders of the personlying on the bed and will be pressed down, with concomitant compressionof the portion of the bedspring under it, by the shoulders of the personlying on the bed. The insert I8 in the opening I4 will be in registerwith the large trochanter of the'person'lying on the bed and will bepressed down, with concomitant compression of the portion of thebedspring under it, by the large trochanter of the person lying on thebed. The pelvis'of the person lying on the bed will not extend into theopening I4 but instead will be in register with the portion of the boardI0 adjacent opening I4 and will be supported by that portion of theboard. The thigh muscles of the person lying on the bed will be inregister with the cantilever section II of the board and will cause abending of that section and a concomitant compression of the portion ofthebedspring under the section I I. As indicated in Figs. 5-8, the largetrochanter, which is the protruding portion of the femur or leg bone,extends out beyond the pelvis. Moreover, as X-ray photographs haveshown, the thigh muscles extend out beyond the large trochanter for aconsiderable distance along the thigh; Unless the pelvis receives firmsupport and the large trochanter receives theproper amount of yieldingsupport, the pelvis will tilt and will create strains and points oftension in the spine.

In addition, unless yielding support is provided for the thigh muscles,the person lying on the bed will not rest comfortably. All of this isaccomplished by the board of the present invention since the pelvisobtains firm support from the portion of board I0 adjacent opening I 4,the large trochanter obtains yielding support from insert I8 and the.bedspring, and the thigh muscles receive yielding support from thecantilever section I I and the bedspring.

The precise amount of downward movement of the inserts I6 and I8 and theprecise amount of bending of section I I will be determined by a numberof factors including the weight and proportions of the person lying onthe bed, the position and attitude of the person lying on the bed, thestiffness of the mattress, the stiffness of the bedsprings, thetightness of the resilient strips 28, and the stiffness of the board I0.However, in each individual case the inserts I6 and I8 will move downand the section U will bend'until the support for all sections of thebody is more or less uniform. At such times, if the person is lying onhis side, his bone structure will assume the attitude shown in Fig. 8.It will be noted that the spine is almost straight, thus indicating theabsence of tension points which are found when a person lies on his sideon other beds or supports. For example, a person lying on his side in abed equipped with the presently popular bedspring and innerspringmattress combination will experience the points of tenison indicated bythe pronounced bending of the spine in Fig. 5. The hips are considerablybelow the shouldersand the spine sags badly. The severe bend in thespine adjacent the hips creates tension that definitely detracts fromthe value of the sleep obtained by the person using that bed. Moreoverthe pelvis itself is tilted, and this tilting further detracts from therest and comfort of the person; lying on the bed by adding to thetension in the spine.

Even where that bed is equipped with an imperforate, unyieldingboardbetween the mattress and the springs, the tendency of the spine to sagis checked but little, as indicated in Fig. 6. Here again, sagging ofthe spine and tilting of the pelvis is noted; and the points of tensionin the spine are again present. These points of tension definitelydetract from the rest and comfort of the person lying on the bed.

Fig. '7 shows that while it is possible to hold the hips n the samelevel as the shoulders by resting on a wooden table covered with a twoinch sponge rubber mat; that action is only obtained by relativerotation of the bones of the pelvis and a sharp bending of the spine.Thus the effect obtained by using a hard surface covered by a thinrubber pad is far outweighed by the undesirable results accompanyingthat eifect. Not only does a hard, rubber-coated surface fail toeliminate tilting of the pelvis and bending of the spine, but it alsorequires the person to lie on an uncomfortably hard surface.

However, with the board of the present invention, the reduction intension and the minimization in the tilting of the pelvis aresubstantially complete and are attained without any discomfort to theuser. The mattress absorbs and cushions the weight of the head, trunkand legs, and the portions of the bedsprings under the inserts I and I8and the section I! cooperate with the mattress to absorb and cushion theweight of the hips and shoulders. Rest and comfort, heretoforeunattainable, have been found in this manner.

The strips 20 of resilient material that extend between inserts I5 andI8 and the board 10 are primarily intended to maintain the inserts inassembled relation with the board I!) during'the time the board is beingsold and shipped. After the board has been inserted between thebedsprings and the mattress the bedspringswill provide the primarysupport for the inserts lfi'and I8. The resilient strips can,howevenassist the bedsprings in returning the inserts l6 and [8 to theirposition flush with the board Land they also act to prevent skewing ofthe inserts '6 and I8 relative to the openings l2 and l 4.

By having the inserts l6 and [8, the present invention keeps theportions of the mattress that are in register with openings l2 and Mfrom sagging into openings l2 and I4 when no force is being exerted onthe mattress. In addition, the inserts avoid a situation where the trunkof the sleeper would be given firm support while an elas the person wasgetting onto or off of the bed.

Any force thatis exerted on the mattress will be distributed to someextent before it is exerted on the bedspring since the inserts willrequire several coils of the bedspring to move simultaneously. Thus alarger force can be applied in a small area to the mattress, as by anelbow or knee, but that force will be distributed over a large area ofthe 'bedspring by the inserts l6 and I8, and will permit easy anduniform absorption of that force.

The board I0 is usablefor all persons except the unusually tall or theunusually short. For such persons, the board of Figs. 2-, 3, and 4 isprovided. This board includes a frame that is shown as having angleirons 22 and 24 for the sides thereof and as having two angle irons 26and 28 for the ends thereof. Supported on this frame are three solid andunyielding sections 30, 32 and 34 which correspond to the three solidportions of board In that extend between and beyond the openings l2 and[4. The sections 30, 32 and 34 are provided with grooves 36 and 3 8 thatreceive and are supported by the upstanding portions of the angle irons22 and 24.

As indicated in the drawing, the section 34 is not unitary in characterbut is formed from three individual elements. These individual elementscan be secured together in any suitable manner, as, by pins, pegs, boltsor tongues and grooves; or they may be independent of each other andheld in place by the frictional engagement between the grooves 35 and 38with angle irons 22 and 24,

or by the frictional engagement between the mattress and the elements ofsection 34. The sections 30, 32 and 34 are dimensioned and spaced apartso the openings therebetween will be in register with the shoulders andhips of the person lying in bed. These openings will normally beoccupied by the inserts 40 and 42. Each of these inserts, like thesection 34, is shown as being made from three elements; and thesevarious elements can be pinned, pegged or otherwise held in assembledrelation. Where the board is to be used on the bed of a person ofaverage height, the section 34 will have the approximate dimensions ofthe portion of board Ii! between the spaced openings ['2 and I4,sections 30 and 32 will have the approximate dimensions of the right andleft hand portions of board I0, and the inserts 40 and 42 will have theapproximate dimensions of inserts I6 and H3. Moreover the slots 3! willhave the approximate length of the slots I 3 and will form a cantileversection 33 that t is similar to and performs the same function as thecantilever section ll. It will be noted that the inserts 40 and 42 areshorter than the distance between the inner edges of the angle irons 22and 24; thus permitting up and down movementof the inserts 4B and 42without hindrance from the angle irons 22 and 24.

Where the board of Figs. 2, 3 and 4 is to be used on the bed of anunusually tall person, the

' section 30, which is wider than section 34, can be substituted forsection 34 and section 34 can be substituted for section 30. This willprovide additional distance between the openings of the board, and thisadditional distance will permit full accommodation of the tall personstrunk. If that person has such a long trunk that an extralength bed isrequired, the angle irons 22 and 24 can be made longer and additionalelements, similar to the three elements of insert 34, can be added tothe outer ends of sections 30 or 34 or both. By making the varioussections 30, 32 and 34 adjustable relative to the angle irons 22 and 724,, the present invention makes it possiblefor the bed board toaccommodate all persons of unusual height.

-Where the bed board is to be used on the bed of a person who isunusually short, one or more of the elements of section 34 can be movedadjacent section 30, thus providing. an area of decreasedlength for thetrunk of the person in the bed. In addition,.if desired, one or more of.the elements of the inserts 40 and 42 can be removed;

and in that case the sections 30, 32 and 34 will have to be shifted tochange the dimensions of the openings that receive the narrowed inserts.Inthis way the bed board of. the present invention can accommodate aperson of unusually short height.

The board shown in Figs. 24 will provide the same type of support as isprovided by the board of Fig. 1. The shoulders of the person using theboard. will register with insert 40, his pelvis .will register with theleft hand side of section 34, his large trochanter will register withthe insert 42, and his thigh muscles will register with the cantileversection 33.

The angle irons 22 and 24 are shown in the drawingas being solid pieces,but they can be made in a number of sections that can be hinged orseparably secured to each other. This would make it possible totransport the bed. board on vacations.

.In, Figs. 5 through 8, the bone structures of persons lying on theirsides are shown. In that position, the .hips and shoulders of the bodyproject downwardly beyond the trunk. A similar downward projection ofthose portions of the and to the elimination of tilting of the pelvis.

That-same elimination of tension and tilting will not only improve therest and comfort of the person using the bed but will also improve thatpersons general tone and. health.

The boards shown in the drawing are very effective and useful and can bedimensioned to fit single bedsand three-quarters beds as well as doublebeds. With the narrower beds the board will be made narrower and theopenings, inserts and cantilever sections will be made proportionatelynarrower. Ordinarily the bed board will be independent of the mattressand the springs but, if desired, it can be secured to the bottom of themattress or the top of the springs. In addition, if less movement of theshoulders and hips is desired, cantilever sections similar to sectionsII and 33 can be formed in the board in confronting relation at or aboutthe position of openings l 2 and 14 to form two yieldable portions forthe board. These yieldable portions will operate substantially in thesame manner as the that'various changescan be made in the form of theinvention without affecting its. scope.

What Iclaim is:

'1. .A boardthat is usable .with beds and has a plurality of openingstherethrough, inserts that are normally positioned. in butare freelymovable relative to said openings, said openings being spacedto'register with the shoulders and hips of persons lying on the bed withwhich said bed board is associated.

2. In anadjustable bed board, a frame, sections that are removablymounted on said frame, said sections being spaced apart to form aplurality of openings, and inserts that are'normally positioned in saidopenings, said inserts being freely movable relative to said sections.

3. A board that. is adapted to be inserted beneath the mattress of a bedequipped with a mattress and springs and that comprises a substantiallyfiat surface that is substantially coextensive'with said mattress, apair of spaced open.- ings in said board, inserts movably positioned insaid openings, one of said openings being positioned to be in registerwith the shoulders of a person lying on said mattress, the other of saidopenings being positioned to be in register with the hipsof said person.

4. A board that is adapted to provide support for the body and legs of aperson disposed thereabove and deriving support therefrom and thatcomprises a generally flat surface, a pair of spaced openings therein,inserts that are positioned in said. openings and are movable relativeto said openings and are adapted to yieldably support the hips andshoulders of said person, one of saidopenings and one of said insertsbeing adapted to underlie the shoulders of said person, and the other ofsaid openings and the other of said inserts being adapted to underliethe hips of .said person.

5. A bed board having. a plurality of openings .therethrough, insertspositioned in but being freely movable relative to said openings, saidopeningsv being spaced to register with the shoulders and hips ofpersons using the bed with which said bed board is associated, saidboard being insertable between the mattress and springs of said bed,said board having resilient means normally, holding said inserts inposition in said openings.

6.. A bed board having a plurality of openings therethrough, insertspositioned in but being freely movable relative to said openings in adirection perpendicular to the plane of said board,andrestraining.elements to limit movement of said inserts in the planeof said board, said openings being spaced in register with the shouldersand hips of persons using the bed with which said bed board isassociated, said board resting on the springs of a bed, said springs andsaid restraining elements permitting limited downward movement of saidinserts relative to said openings in the board .but acting to urge saidinserts back toward said board.

7. A bed board having a plurality of sections that are adjustablerelative to each other, said sections being spaced apart to formopenings between their confronting edges, inserts that are normallypositioned in said openings but are movable relative to said board, oneof said sections. having a separable portion that is removable from saidone section to change the bodysupporting dimensions of said section.

8..A bed board having a plurality of sections that. are adjustablerelative to each other, said Sections being spaced apart to formopenings between their confronting edges, inserts that are normallypositioned in said openings but are movable relative to said board, oneof said sections having a separable portion that is removable from saidone section to change the body-supporting dimensions of said section,one of said inserts having a removable portion that is removable topermit said insert to fit into a smaller opening.

9. A board that is adapted to support a person lying on a bed where saidboard is disposed beneath the mattress for said bed and that comprises agenerally flat surface and a plurality of slots in said surface, saidslots being connected to form a cantilever section in said board and tospace the end and sides of said cantilever section from the adjacentportions of said board, one of said slots being disposed between the endof said cantilever section and an edge of a yielding portion of saidboard, said cantilever section being bendable and being adapted toprovide yielding support for one portion of the body of said person.

10. A board that is adapted to support the body and legs of a persondisposed thereabove and deriving support therefrom and that comprises agenerally flat surface and a pair of spaced openings therein adapted toregister with the hips and shoulders of said person, one of saidopenings being adapted to underlie the shoulders of said person, and theother of said openings being adapted to underlie the hips of saidperson.

11. A board that is adapted to support a person lying on a bed withwhich said board is associated and that comprises a generally fiatsurface, an opening in said board, said opening being in register with aportion of the body of said person, a plurality of slots in said surfacethat are contiguous to said opening, said slots and said opening beingarranged to form a cantilever section in said board and to space thesides of said cantilever section from the adjacent portions of theboard, said cantilever section being bendable and being adapted toprovide yielding support for another portion of the body of said person,said opening and said cantilever section cooperating with the mattressand springs of said bed to provide comfortable rest for said person.

12. A board that is adapted to support a person lying on a bed withwhich said board is associated and that comprises a generally fiatunyielding surface and a plurality of yielding portions that are spacedapart and are adapted to register with and provide selective yieldingsupport for various portions of the body of said person.

13. A board that is adapted to support a person lying on a bed withwhich said board is associated and that comprises a generally fiatsurface, an opening that is adapted to register with a portion of thebody of said person, and an insert normally positioned in said openingbut being movable downwardly from said opening in response to the weightof said portion of the body of said person, said opening and the inserttherein cooperating to permit said portion of the body to assume acomfortable position.

14. A board that is adapted to support a person lying on a bed withwhich said board is associated and that comprises a generally fiatsurface and a yielding portion that is defined by cuts through saidboard, the edges of said yielding portion that is formed by said cutsbein movable out of the plane of said surface, said cuts being spacedfrom the sides and ends of said boards to place said yielding portion inregister with a portion of the body of said person, the movement of saidedges of said yielding portion of said board providing comfortable restfor said person.

15. A board that is adapted to support a person lying on a bed withwhich said board is associated and that comprises a generally flatsurface, an opening through said board, and a cantilever section in saidboard that confronts and is contiguous with said opening, said boardbeing adapted to be supported by said bed and to underlie and supportthe mattress for said bed, said cantilever being adapted to bend when aportion of the mattress is pressed down into said opening by a portionof the body of said person.

HAROLD T. MAHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 128,905 Puffer July 9, 1872134,456 Blair Dec. 31, 1872 1,045,228 Weltmer Nov. 26, 1912 1,549,601Mulgrew Aug. 11, 1925 2,182,861 Albert Dec. 12, 1939 2,352,106 KesnerJune 20, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 215,905 SwitzerlandJuly 31, 1941

